*Following low clouds into early Monday a period of drier air is expected to bring sunshine back into the afternoon.
Updated 2:00 AM December 18
*A shift to northerly winds will bring low-level cold air into the mountains Monday night into Tuesday. While low-level moisture transport is generating some clouds in the upslope zone of the High Knob Massif, drier air aloft is looking to dominate.
*A seasonally nice mid-week gives way to a major storm system with rain developing by Thursday. Locally heavy rain amounts will be possible.
*An ALERT For Strong Rises on Streams Will Likely Be Needed For Late Thursday Into Friday
A general 1.00″ to 3.00″ of total precipitation is expected with this system, including water content of snowfall.
*Colder air wrapping around the system will bring accumulating snowfall Friday into early hours of Saturday, with snow levels dropping from highest elevations downward over time.
A moderate-locally heavy accumulation of snow will be possible in locations along and north of the High Knob Massif and Tennessee Valley Divide. Much less sticking snow, with 1″ or less, is currently expected within downslope locations lee of the High Knob Massif-Tennessee Valley Divide on NW-N air flow.
Target Snowfall: 2″ in Wise (+/-) 1″ error potential. This implies potential for 1″ to 3″ in the Norton-Wise area.
Rain will begin changing to snow at the summit level of High Knob by the sunrise to mid-morning period of Friday, with snow levels dropping to the elevation of Wise by mid-late afternoon.
Low Clouds Dominated The Mountain Landscape Sunday_UVA-Wise
Mountain Area Forecast ( Dec 17-19 )
Overnight Into Monday Morning
Low clouds. Dense fog at upper elevations. Areas of fog at middle to lower elevations. Winds W-WNW at 5-15 mph on mountain ridges below 2700 feet. WNW-NW winds 10 to 20 mph, with higher gusts, on mountain ridges above 2700 feet. Temps varying from around 30 to near 40 degrees. Wind chills within the 20s and 30s, except 10s in gusts along highest mountain ridges.
Monday Afternoon
Partly-mostly sunny. Winds W-NW at 5-15 mph with some higher gusts. Temperatures in the 40s, except some 30s at upper elevations. Wind chills in the 30s to lower 40s, except 20s at upper elevations.
Monday Night Into Tuesday Morning
Partly cloudy. Turning colder. Winds NNW to NNE at 5-10 mph with some higher gusts. Temps dropping into the 20s to around 30 degrees, except 10s in colder valleys at the upper elevations toward morning.
Tuesday Afternoon
Partly to mostly sunny. Seasonally cold. Light northerly winds. Temperatures in the 30s to low-mid 40s.
Tuesday Night Into Wednesday Morning
Mostly clear into the overnight, then some increasing high clouds. Large vertical temp spread developing between the colder mountain valleys & milder ridges. Winds S-SW at 5 to 15 mph on mid-upper elevation mountain ridges & plateaus. Temperatures varying from 10s to lower 20s in colder valleys to the 30s to low 40s on exposed ridges-plateaus.
Wednesday Afternoon
Hazy sunshine ( high clouds ). Winds SSE-SW at 5-15 mph with some higher gusts. Temperatures in the 40s to low-mid 50s ( coolest in upper elevations ).
Wednesday Night Into Thursday Morning
Cloudy ( mid-high clouds ). Winds SE-SSW at 5-15 mph with higher gusts along mid-upper elevation mountain ridges and exposed plateaus. Temperatures in the 30s and 40s, coldest in sheltered mountain valleys and hollows. Wind chills in the 30s along higher mountain ridges.
Reference Major Winter Storm for updated information on the December 9-10 storm event.
